


Ready

by nerdlife4eva



Series: Nerd's Chasing Gold Zine Story [4]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Olympics, Angst and Feels, Coach Katsuki Yuuri, Loss of Limbs, Memories, Olympics, Paralympics, Team Dynamics, Traveling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 13:49:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13637532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdlife4eva/pseuds/nerdlife4eva
Summary: As Minami and Yuuri prepare to leave, Minami reflects on the memories that have shaped him as a man and an athlete.





	Ready

**Author's Note:**

> This is another installment for my YOI Chasing Gold zine series! The pre-orders for this zine are now open but the zines and bundles are going fast!! There are so many wonderful stories and beautiful art in this zine, so please head over to the [blog](https://yoichasinggoldzine.tumblr.com) to place your order! 
> 
> And if you want to check me out on Tumblr or discuss this AU, please come find me as [n3rdlif343va](https://n3rdlif343va.tumblr.com)!

The sun was warm on his face as Minami stood on the deck. Behind him, somewhere inside the training facility, his mom and Yuuri were discussing the last-minute travel arrangements. He had tried to be a part of the conversation, but with every box checked on their to-do list, reality became more tangible. Everything he had been working toward, the first chance to achieve the longest-lived dream of his life, was only days away.

Taking a deep breath, Minami closed his eyes, concentrating on the sun heating his skin and the breeze flirting with the strands of his hair. The energy within him vibrated, sizzling like a perpetual lightning strike. From the moment that he had dipped into the cool lake for the first time at five years old, defying the odds by learning to swim without his prosthetic limbs, his dream had started to form. His first glimpse of Yuuri, breaking through the water and storming toward his first victory over Victor, had given him an idol. He began to run, ignoring the kids who made fun of him for his awkward steps as he learned to find his own rhythm. Meeting Yuuri had added fuel to his determined fire and the day Minami had received the bike from him had ignited the hope to go with it.

There had been times though when his resolve was shaken. The whole world existed to tell him no and sometimes Minami felt that his screams of defiance fell on deaf ears. People wanted to doubt him and the power of that doubt, the strength of those negative opinions, always attempted to poke holes in Minami’s confidence. Eyes still closed, chest heaving with the memories, Minami let them run through his mind.

 _Freak_ , an older boy laughed, kicking Minami’s metal-jointed leg out from underneath him. The ground met Minami’s hip with a sharp strike and he bit back the instinctual yelp at the pain. Narrowing his eyes, Minami stood back up, refusing the hand offered by his friend. Dusting off his pants, Minami reached out to grab the shoulder of his assailant. “Hey,” he said, voice still even despite the tears he could feel threatening to spill from his eyes. “I’m not a freak, but you’re a jerk. Grow up.” Dropping his hand, ten-year-old Minami threw an arm around his friend’s shoulders and walked away from the silenced bully.

 _Cripple_ , a kid had called him at twelve-years-old, shoving at Minami’s shoulder as they lined up to run sprints during their required physical education. With a glint in his eye, Minami had leaned down into his stance, reacting at the sound of the whistle. He had greeted his insulter at the finish line, standing with his hands on his hips, watching with a smug smile as the other boy finally crossed the line.

 _Weak_ , his first coach had said, shaking his head as he pulled Minami from the water. Minami’s strokes were unbalanced, the power difference between his two legs was too significant, and there was no way he could train to improve what Minami was born without. Setting his jaw, Minami shoved from the dock, straight into the water. As his coach screamed for him to come back, he took those criticisms and burned them into his muscles, pushing himself to be faster and stronger.

 _Alone_. His last coach hadn’t said the word, but her abrupt decision to retire had left it tattooed on Minami’s heart. They had been an effective team, Minami had been in top form and racing toward their shared goal. Coach Odagaki’s decision to leave their partnership was unrelated to Minami, but he couldn’t help feeling the sting of abandonment.

 _Your games_ , Yuri Plisetsky had said, the venom and scorn in those words had continued to smolder deep inside of Minami, even months after their charity photoshoot. Before then Minami had found the building rivalry between himself and Yuri intriguing and fun on certain occasions. He enjoyed the bantering over Instagram and the attempts to one-up each other in their training regimens. That moment at the photoshoot had opened Minami’s eyes to Yuri’s real view of their now-shared world. It had made him angry, and it was through pure willpower that he had hidden that anger. Those words, spoken with condescension and arrogance, remained on loop in Minami’s mind, pushing his desire to put the younger athlete squarely in his place below Minami on the podium.  

Swallowing hard, Minami forced himself to bring every memory back. Each of these moments had shaped him and driven him to where he stood. On the days when he felt the weakest, when the positivity that normally drove him to work past the pain failed him, the faces of these people and the lingering feelings they had planted in his heart compelled him to keep going.

There were other voices as well. The soft, calming voice of his mom, who had talked him through every change to his growing body, both the organic parts and the artificial parts. She had always supported his dream, even when she worried about the realities of it. She had protected him and given him space to push himself, never wavering in her everlasting love and support.

The voices of the trainers, who were constantly astounded at Minami’s strength and resistance, and who knew exactly when and how to encourage Minami to rest. They cared for him and kept him safe, never making him feel as if he was weak or different from the other athletes at the facility.   

Then there was Yuuri. Grinning at the thought of his quiet but demanding coach, Minami opened his eyes, looking down over the track that had been the source of many hours of torture.

 _Together_ , Yuuri had said. During the phone call that established the new chapter in both of their lives, Yuuri had promised Minami that victory would be theirs as a team. Every day since then, Yuuri had showed him the never-ending proof of his support, through long nights charting training courses and trips to meet with sponsors or make new equipment purchases. Yuuri made Minami feel important. Yuuri never made Minami feel as if Yuuri was giving up anything by being Minami’s coach. The team effort Yuuri had promised him was alive and well in every day of their partnership.

Minami’s brows furrowed remembering the day that Yuuri had held him through tears, the water of the locker room shower soaking both of them as Minami revealed that he had been receiving hate through his Instagram DMs. When the sobbing had passed, and they were wringing their clothes out, Yuuri had quietly reminded him that the voice of others didn’t have to become his own. Haters would always exist, but Yuuri encouraged him not to give into that evil influence. The only thing that could fight hate, even self-hate, was kindness and Minami was striving to put this belief into practice every day.

Clenching his hand around the metal railing, Minami felt his mind begin to settle. This was just another battle, and Minami was an excellent fighter.

Every day he fought. Minami fought through the doubts of others and the creeping fear that he wouldn’t succeed. He gritted his teeth against the pain, and held his tongue whenever someone let their eyes linger too long on the parts that weren’t naturally his. He pushed his body to its limits and pushed his equipment even further. When his body was ready to break, his spirit continued to hold on, dragging him forward to the next second, through one more minute, until those minutes became success.

Now he was standing on the edge of greatness, feeling the excitement and blinding terror settling from their swirling tornado in his chest. Being scared wasn’t an option. This was his dream to achieve, his medal to win, and only the beginning of everything he planned to accomplish. He had gotten here with faith, sweat, and an undying belief that he would make it. He had no intention of failing now.

Standing at the threshold to the sliding door, Yuuri watched his athlete. He could easily recall the nerves and thrilling anticipation of competition on the world’s biggest stage. Unlike himself, Minami was strong, he was made of light and hope, and there was no way Minami could lose. Taking a few steps forward, Yuuri placed a gentle hand on Minami’s shoulder. “Ready to go?” he asked, smiling when Minami’s eyes met his own.

“I’m ready,” Minami answered. After years of learning what it took to become a champion, Minami was ready to show the world that he deserved his place at the top. With a nod, Minami turned to fall in step with Yuuri, determination carrying him forward to the most important race of his career.

Together they loaded the van, ready to fight for Minami’s dream.  


End file.
